Astrolog 451f and Swiss Ephemeris
Gerald Koenig
"Specifically, when Astrolog searches for a file, it will look in
the following directories, in order: The current directory, the
ASTR5.40 environment variable directory, the ASTROLOG environment
directory, the ASTR [environment glk] dir, and finally the compile
time default directory."
My current directory for astrolog is c:\a541fwin. Therefor
it appears that the sweph_NN.zip files could be unzipped there.
I do not see a set of placalc or other ephemeris files there except
one asteroid file that might have precedence.
My preference would be to create a directory SWISS and put a statement
ASTR=c:\SWISS in autoexec.bat; and unzip the sweph files in the SWISS
directory.
My concern is that there are invisible ephemeris files that are
currently default, perhaps located in astrolog.exe which resides in
c:\a541fwin, that will be first called.
Can anyone help me resolve this?
Jerry
Mark Martin
all. After a lot of experimentation, I finally ended up just copying the
three sweph files, lrz5_24, cpjv_24 and chi_24 to the directory where
astrolog starts up. My directory structure looks something like this:
C:
astrolog
charts
code
astrolog540
astrolog541d
The .exe, icons, and so forth are in C:\astrolog\code\astrolog540, and I put
charts that I work with frequently in C:\astrolog. I created a shortcut
that points to C:\astrolog\code\astrolog540\astrolog.exe for the target, and
has C:\astrolog for the 'start in' directory. That's where I copied the
sweph files. Unfortunately, I see the files, along with my frequently used
charts when I start astrolog and do a file-open. I could see where if I had
a lot of the files downloaded, I would want to put them in a seperate
location, like C:\astrolog\sweph, and get the environment variables to work.
Maybe this evening I'll experiment some more with it to see what happens,
since I've started over on my system with Windows ME. Problem is, I've been
really busy at work (Mars in 6th house), and I come home exhausted, and only
spend a few minutes in the morning reading a.a.mod.
Cheers,
Mark
"Gerald Koenig" <g...@rexx.com> wrote in message
news:98827097...@rexx.com...
Elisabeth
Gerald Koenig <g...@rexx.com> schrieb in im Newsbeitrag:
98827097...@rexx.com...
think the help manual - it´s said to be a *must* reading it prior to
installation - is a little bit confusing in case you use later versions of
Windows, (I´ve no experience with other systems), excuse me Alois, it really
needs to be updated, the booklet not your Swiss Ephemeris, they are
excellent.
Ther´s another way to solve the problem, Jerry: Alois has a *hotline*
service, where he is busy in answering questions, very polite and exact.I
wouldn´t ask around that much, but contact Alois direct.I think this is the
shortest way to solve your problem.
Kind regards
Elisabeth
SeaGtGruff
> Subject: Astrolog 451f and Swiss Ephemeris
[...]
If you're using Astrolog 5.41F, the Placalc ephemeris files will have no
effect, because the program won't even look at them. The program does come
with the ephemeris files needed for the current time period, but I don't think
they're compiled into the object code, merely included in the zip file. You
should be able to do as you've described with no problem.
The Placalc (or official) versions of Astrolog have two possible levels of
accuracy, depending on whether or not you tell the program to use the ephemeris
files:
-- use the ephemeris files = use the Placalc files and routines
-- don't use the ephemeris files = use the Matrix routines
The Swiss Ephemeris versions of Astrolog have *three* possible levels of
accuracy, depending on whether or not you tell the program to use the ephemeris
files, and whether or not the ephemeris files are found:
-- use the ephemeris files (and they are found) = use the Swiss Ephemeris files
and routines
-- use the ephemeris files (but they aren't found) = use the routines for Steve
Moshier's semianalytic theory
-- don't use the ephemeris files = use the Matrix routines
As for how these levels of accuracy compare with rach other, I believe the
order (from best to worst) is as follows:
-- the Swiss Ephemeris files and routines
-- Steve Moshier's semianalytic theory
-- the Placalc files and routines
-- the Matrix routines
Michael Rideout
SeaGtGruff
> I had problems getting astrolog to recognise the environment variables at
> all. After a lot of experimentation, I finally ended up just copying the
> three sweph files, lrz5_24, cpjv_24 and chi_24 to the directory where
> astrolog starts up.
Actually, those are Placalc ephemeris files, not Swiss Ephemeris files.
Michael Rideout
SeaGtGruff
> Ther´s another way to solve the problem, Jerry: Alois has a *hotline*
> service, where he is busy in answering questions, very polite and exact.I
> wouldn´t ask around that much, but contact Alois direct.I think this is the
> shortest way to solve your problem.
Astrolog isn't Alois' program, so I doubt if he supports it. :-)
Michael Rideout
Alois Treindl
I am sorry, but I have nothing to to with Astrolog, I don't use it, I
have not
written its 'help' file, and I don't know how to configure it on
Window$.
The problem described above is a shortcoming of an application, and
the
creator of the application should be asked. Or maybe you need to call
Micro$oft,
if you have a problem related to Window$.
The maker of bricks is not responsible for shortcomings of the house,
as they say.
Alois
--
|| Alois Treindl, Astrodienst AG, mailto:al...@astro.com
|| Zollikon/Zurich, Switzerland
|| Free astrological charts at http://www.astro.com/
|| SWISS EPHEMERIS Free Edition at http://www.astro.com/swisseph/
Gerald Koenig
I have some definitive answers to my Astrolog 4.51F questions thanks to
Valentin Abramov "Valja". He has given me permission to crosspost this
email:
>From glk Sun Apr 29 00:05:30 2001
To: conju...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Astrolog question for Valja
In-Reply-To: <988510341.7...@yahoogroups.com>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2001 10:32:45 +0200
> From: valentin...@tartu.customs.ee
> Subject: Re: Astrolog question for Valja
> On 27 Apr 01, at 18:47, Gerald Koenig wrote:
> > Hi, Valja,
xxxx I am
> > trying to get Astrolog 5.41F to use all the moon and planet Sweph
> > files available. I notice that some sweph files are compiled in
> > the program, according to the website. Which are they?
Valja!
Thanks so much for the clear and logical explanation. I think part
of the reason I didn't notice a difference in arcminutes in -437
for Athena's dedication with or without the Sweph files is the
great accuracy of the built-in algorithms you have chosen. I do
have a "set" command in my autoexec.bat for the sweph directory.
xx
I did notice that I didn't get an error message even using dates
before 3000 BC. Is the program still providing reasonable guesses
for ranges beyond the design range? Also, I would like to repost
your explanation on alt.astrology.moderated. Is this OK?
Again, many many thanks for your work. I use Astrolog because I
want to relate to the widest possible audience of astrologers,
including those who cannot access or afford one of the many fine
commercial programs available. Your modifications of the program
have kept it in the running as an accurate and versatile program.
I find the fixed star modifications very useful.
Jerry
VALJA REPLIES:
>
>
> Hi all!
>
> Built-in ephemeris are a bit another ephemeris than Swiss Ephemeris.
> In version 5.41 instead of older Placalc ephemeris new Swiss Ephemeris
> are used: sepl_xx.se1 for planets, seas_xx.se1 for astreoids and
> semo_xx.se1 for Moon. Every set of files covers 600 years. But Windows
> and Linux/Unix versions have also builtin planetary and Moon ephemeris -
> The Moshier Ephemeris.
>
> This is a semi-analytical approximation of the JPL planetary and lunar
> ephemerides, currently based on the DE404 ephemeris, developed by Steve
> Moshier. Its deviation from JPL is well below 1 arc second with the
> planets and a few arc seconds with the moon. No data files are required
> for this ephemeris, as _all data are linked into the program code already_.
>
> The advantage of the Moshier ephemeris is that it needs no disk storage.
> Its disadvantage besides the limited precision is reduced speed: it is
> about 10 times slower than JPL and Swiss Ephemeris.
>
> The Moshier Ephemeris covers the interval from 3000 BC to 3000 AD.
>
> In other words, Astrolog (Win version) uses one of three calculations:
>
> 1. If use of ephemeris files is disabled (or time of chart is outside
> of area of any ephemeris file and also Moshier Ephemeris) then Matrix
> routines are used.
>
> 2. If ephemeris files are enabled, astrolog looks for ephemeris files
> for chart's time and uses them if finds.
>
> 3. If astrolog (Win version) doesn't find necessary ephemeris files, it
> uses built-in Moshier ephemeris.
>
> Note, that vesion 5.40 uses Placalc ephemeris and haven't built-in
> Moshier ephemeris.
>
>
> > I have put
> > all the sweph files from astro.com in a directory SWISS and pointed
> > to it with an autoexec.bat statement,
> >
> > ASTR=C:\SWISS
> >
>
> Astolog looks for necessary files in next order:
>
> 1) Local directory (where astrolog.exe is placed)
>
> 2) Environment directories, set in autoexec.bat, one of them is
> version specific (names of directories here are given as examples,
> names of environment variables must be strict and in upper-case):
>
> a) set ASTR5.41B=C:\aaaaa\541
>
> b) set ASTROLOG=d:\abbbb
>
> c) set ASTR=H:\miscfile
>
> 3) Default directory, compiled in: C:\ASTROLOG
>
> So if you want to place ephemeris files to directory c:\swiss, you have
> to add to autoexec.bat line
>
> set ASTR=c:\swiss
>
> (ASTR _must_ be in upper-case, 'set' and directory name can be in
> upper-case or lower-case, just as you want)
>
>
> > Is the program accessing and using the sweph files in the SWISS
> > directory? How could I test this?
> >
> Line
>
> ASTR=C:\SWISS
>
> above shouldn't work, because you missed 'set' from beginning of line.
>
GLK:
[Actually I did have the "set" command in place. I have since
commented it out in the autoexec.bat together with unchecking
"use ephemeris files" under calculation settings as a rough test.
I have found that for the ATHENA chart of 438 BC the moon is
19leo02'30" with these settings. For the same chart the moon is at
20leo48'41" with the sweph ephemeris files accessible in the SWISS
directory and "use ephemeris files" checked.
There is a third value of 20leo 49'26" with the SWISS directory
and its sweph files blocked out with a comment, and "use ephemeris
files" checked (enabled), so apparently the program is finding
some Matrix ephem files on my disk. It can be seen that 5.41F is
very accurate out of the box even in its bare version. I will be
trying the test method given by Valja below next.]
VALJA RESUMES:
> Testing is a bit tricky, because if ephemeris files are missed,
> internal Moshier ephemeris are used instead (and it's difficult to
> distinguish, which ephemeris was used). To test the use of external
> ephemeris, make sure, that ephemeris file of fixed stars (fixstars.ast)
> is present _only_ in directory you want to test (in your case
> c:\swiss). Then unrestrict fixed stars and allow use of zodiacal
> seconds ("View" -> "Print Nearest Seconds"). If astrolog will find
> fixstars.ast (and of cource also other ephemeris) output will be OK. If
> astrolog will not find fixstars.ast (and then also other ephemeris
> files) you will get warning message about absence of stars ephemeris
> file. In this case check your environment settings.
>
> Hope that helps.
It helps 100%. I will soon be able to write the "Astrolog 4.51F
and Ephemeris files for Dummies" post which will describe downloading
and unzipping the ephemeris files and Astrolog and getting them to
work together. I want anyone with an internet connection to have
access to the World ingress.
Jerry
>
>
> Best regards,
> Valja
>
>
>
>
> Valentin Abramov
> http://www.tartu.customs.ee/astrolog/
Alois Treindl
> GLK:
> [Actually I did have the "set" command in place. I have since
> commented it out in the autoexec.bat together with unchecking
> "use ephemeris files" under calculation settings as a rough test.
> I have found that for the ATHENA chart of 438 BC the moon is
> 19leo02'30" with these settings. For the same chart the moon is at
> 20leo48'41" with the sweph ephemeris files accessible in the SWISS
> directory and "use ephemeris files" checked.
>
> There is a third value of 20leo 49'26" with the SWISS directory
> and its sweph files blocked out with a comment, and "use ephemeris
> files" checked (enabled), so apparently the program is finding
> some Matrix ephem files on my disk.
No, then it uses the builtin Moshier-mode of the Swiss Ephemeris
module.
The 'Matrix' functions are basically worthless for any time as remote
from
the present as this. They should be removed from Astrolog alltogether.
Please note that the builtin Moshier-mode of Swiss Ephemeris has only
the
regular planets. For asteroids like Chiron you always need Swiss
Ephemeris files
and should download them.
Alois
Gerald Koenig
>Gerald Koenig wrote:
>> GLK:
>> [Actually I did have the "set" command in place. I have since
>> commented it out in the autoexec.bat together with unchecking
>> "use ephemeris files" under calculation settings as a rough test.
>> I have found that for the ATHENA chart of 438 BC the moon is
>> 19leo02'30" with these settings. For the same chart the moon is at
>> 20leo48'41" with the sweph ephemeris files accessible in the SWISS
>> directory and "use ephemeris files" checked.
>>
>> There is a third value of 20leo 49'26" with the SWISS directory
>> and its sweph files blocked out with a comment, and "use ephemeris
>> files" checked (enabled), so apparently the program is finding
>> some Matrix ephem files on my disk.
>No, then it uses the builtin Moshier-mode of the Swiss Ephemeris
>module.
I can't follow this. I have three answers for the test chart. One with
sweph files accessible and ephemeris mode enabled (A), one with sweph files
inaccessible and ephemeris mode disabled (B), and one with sweph files
inaccessible and ephemeris enabled (C). I assumed that the Mosier mode that
Valja referred to was being used in mode (B). You are saying that
Mosier-mode of the Swiss Ephemeris module is being used in mode (C).
But mode C result is not equal to Mode B result, which I would expect if
both are using the Mosier mode. Are you and Valja using different Mosier
modes? Perhaps I have made an error in my test? Does not the # sign turn
an autoexec.bat line into a comment? I did reboot for these tests. Maybe
I should run them again, because I expect only two distinct results
with and without the ephemeris files. As far as I can find there are no
lunar ephemeris files in my astrolog 4.51F directory, the "current"
directory.
xxxx
Jerry
>Please note that the builtin Moshier-mode of Swiss Ephemeris has only
>the
>regular planets. For asteroids like Chiron you always need Swiss
>Ephemeris files
>and should download them.
Alois, is there a way to use the built-in windows ftp program and mget
to download the ephemeris files? I didn't try it as I wasn't sure about
the ftp address.
Jerry
>Alois
John Roth
What's going on is quite simple (maybe). If you have the Swiss Ephemeris
routines disabled, you're using the original Matrix routines. These routines
are
*** grossely *** inaccurate outside of the 20th century, as they were
originally
built as Forrier Transform approximations of the 20th century ephemeris for
use
on a Basic system running on an Apple II. I thoroughly agree that they
should be
ripped out by the roots, but an automatic cutout to switch to the Swiss
Ephemeris
for dates outside of the 20th century would work ***almost*** as well. The
necessary changes are (I believe) in calc.c (or calc.cpp in my version
<grin>.)
If you have the Swiss Ephemeris routines turned on, but the Ephemeris files
aren't
accessable, you're using the Mosier approximations to the analytical theory.
These
will provide you with close to second of arc accuracy throughout the
historical span,
although, as Alois points out, they are considerably slower than using the
disk
ephemerides. Of course, that depends on the balance of CPU to disk access.
With
modern hot processors, it makes less and less difference.
If it can find the disk ephemerides, then you're using essentially the best
availible
astronomical data.
>Are you and Valja using different Mosier
> modes? Perhaps I have made an error in my test?
>Does not the # sign turn an autoexec.bat line into a comment?
No. It disables the echo, I believe. You comment out a DOS batch
file line by placing the word "rem" in front of the line.
>I did reboot for these tests. Maybe
> I should run them again, because I expect only two distinct results
> with and without the ephemeris files. As far as I can find there are no
> lunar ephemeris files in my astrolog 4.51F directory, the "current"
> directory.
>
> xxxx
>
> Jerry
>
> >Please note that the builtin Moshier-mode of Swiss Ephemeris has only
> >the regular planets. For asteroids like Chiron you always need Swiss
> >Ephemeris files and should download them.
As far as I'm concerned, the built-in routines (Mosier) are quite adequate
for my
purposes. Asteroids, and probably Pluto, will always require an ephemeris
file, since AFIK, nobody has ever built an analytic theory that gives
reasonable
accuracy - nor are they likely to.
>
> Alois, is there a way to use the built-in windows ftp program and mget
> to download the ephemeris files? I didn't try it as I wasn't sure about
> the ftp address.
>
> Jerry
>
>
> >Alois
John Roth
>
Alois Treindl
> Asteroids, and probably Pluto, will always require an ephemeris
> file, since AFIK, nobody has ever built an analytic theory that gives
> reasonable accuracy - nor are they likely to.
Pluto is contained in Steve Moshier's code. Moshier's work is NOT an
analytic theory
but a brute-force fit (a kind of fourier transform) to the JPL
numerical integration.
This is also why it is limited precisely to the timerange of the
original JPL integration,
3000 BC - 3000 CE
gygyuu
----- Original Message -----
From: John Roth
Newsgroups: alt.astrology.moderated
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 4:53 PM
Subject: Re: Astrolog 451f and Swiss Ephemeris
"Gerald Koenig" <g...@rexx.com> wrote in message
news:iOkH6.200856$lj4.5...@news6.giganews.com...
> Alois Treindl <al...@astro.ch> writes:
>
> >Gerald Koenig wrote:
>
[...]
>>Does not the # sign turn an autoexec.bat line into a comment?
>No. It disables the echo, I believe. You comment out a DOS batch
>file line by placing the word "rem" in front of the line.
@ disables -- not #; actually the "@" symbol suppresses echoing of the
line it begins
REM is ok, but I use a colon ":" for comments, although most programmers
prefer "::" which is a defective label.
G
NetZero Platinum
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Gerald Koenig
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: John Roth
> Newsgroups: alt.astrology.moderated
> Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2001 4:53 PM
> Subject: Re: Astrolog 451f and Swiss Ephemeris
Thanks John, Alois, and gygyuu,
Now I believe I have enough information to proceed with my "Astrolog
and Swiss Ephemeris for Dummies" faq. I'm checking it all out. I am not
a programer and I mostly work at the unix shell prompt, only exploring
dos/windows when forced to.
Jerry